The state is budgeting $2 million to build necessary infrastructure for development of Cecil Spaceport.

“This is an important step in the development of Cecil Spaceport,” said JAA Executive Director and CEO Steve Grossman in a press release. “The state’s support for Cecil and this developing industry is critical. If the commercial space industry doesn’t come to Cecil, it will likely not come to Florida for at least another four or five years.”

The first tenant agreement at Cecil Spaceport was signed in December, with Atlanta-based Generation Orbit Launch Services, which is developing an in-flight suborbital space launch platform to perform research.

Test flights are expected to begin at Cecil as early as August, according to the release, and operational launches expected in 2016.

Advocates hope the company’s announcement will be the first of many for the Westside site, one that boasts a runway long enough to handle the space shuttle.